"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Archive for February 10, 2015

Isaiah Chol Aruai and his colleagues (Mading Akueth, and Aleer Longar) speaking to reporters on their arrival in Juba after two days in captivity

February 10, 2015 (SSB) — The most educated youth of greater Bor are the root cause of mess in our counties. Imagine since the beginning of crises in December 2013 in South Sudan, our brothers and sisters never rest from insulting each other including their leaders. No day that I came across our brothers/sisters appreciating one another on paanluelwel website.

All I got are insults that this county has rebelled and this county is supporting failed government. Which are all idiotic excuses that will later develop in to hatred and selfishness? Unity of our communities is in our hands as youth of greater Bor rather than digging potholes of hatred among our three counties.

Politic is the instrument of interest as it has divided us now just because of individualism within. No room for disunity in our greater Bor community. And lets us stop insulting our mother Rebecca Nyandeng Garang on social and websites with Dr. Majak D’ Agot too.

No day that Salva Kiir and other top government officials stood up and insulted them in public, just because of respect they have for our late hero Dr.John Garang De Mabior.

We all knows that they had did wrong thing for not standing with government and that is not our job as youth but government knows it that why they are in negotiation now to bring peace back to our country. We are untaught generation about cultures of the community.

According to what I heard about our culture, when elders sat down while chatting and there are some children around, one of elders can fart when children are present and no single child can laugh or telling others that who have farted? They knows who farted but respect in its place so that to teach one how to keep secrete for community. So lets us keep secrets of our community not to exposed them to other communities.

I appreciated brothers and sisters from greater Bhar el ghazal for the respect they have on media. A guy from Bhar el ghazal asked me question one day that, what is wrong with you guys from greater Bor for insulting wife of Garang and Majak Agot?

I just replied to him that people are different that why some guys from Lake State do insult Chol Tong also. He told me we have advised them, why you don’t advise your indiscipline guys to avoid such disrespect toward your leaders. I just told him that we will do it as you said, brother.

The author, Akim Michael, is a student at Mount Kenya University, pursuing bachelor of business and information technology in Kenya.

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The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing from.

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UN human rights official expressed hope that the African Union report into human rights violations in South Sudan would be released soon.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — After visiting South Sudan, still in the grips of a civil war, UN human rights official Ivan Simonovic said that accountability for abuses in the country is needed and expressed hope that the African Union report into human rights violations would be released soon.

“Though the scale and severity of the conflict has recently declined, there are more people in our protection sites, now over 100,000; the number of displaced and refugees has continued to grow, reaching 2 million people, there are thousands more civilians dead and new humanitarian law and human rights violations have been committed by both sides,” Simonovic, the UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.

According to the official, the African Union established a commission of inquiry into the human rights violations committed in South Sudan in December, 2013. The commission recently submitted a report to the African Union Peace and Security Council, but its consideration has been deferred.

“I am hopeful that the AU [African Union] will soon publicly release the report and support the implementation of its findings,” Simonovic said.The official stressed that even if the conflicting sides in South Sudan manage to sign a peace agreement, it will take a long time to ensure sustainable peace in the country.

According to the UN official, South Sudan still faces grave challenges, particularly in the security and justice system.

“In the whole of the country, there are no more than 100-200 judges,” Simonovic said, adding that there are only two prosecutors in the Eastern Equatoria State, which is “larger than many European countries” and 70 percent of the police officers in the region are illiterate, according to a local police chief.

“The UN wants to support their capacity-building but only after those who have committed human rights violations are vetted, investigated, prosecuted and appropriately punished, in line with international standards,” Simonovic emphasized.

According to the UN Security Council, there have been serious human rights abuses in South Sudan. Last month, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Leila Zerrougui pointed to the pressing problem of child recruitment by various armed groups in the country.

Zerrougui stressed that “thousands” of children continue fighting in the ranks of various parties to the conflict in South Sudan.

Violence erupted in South Sudan in December, 2013, when president Salva Kiir accused opposition leader Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Thousands of people have been killed in the ongoing civil war in the country.

SUDAN: INTELLIGENCE SERVICES HOLDING TWO CHURCH LEADERS IN SECRET DETENTION

Amnesty International is urging the authorities in Sudan to disclose the whereabouts of two church leaders who were arrested by the country’s National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum last December and January.

Both Reverend Yat Michael and Reverend Peter Yen – of the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church – are being detained incommunicado, in an unknown location without access to their families or lawyers and are at risk of torture or ill-treatment.

Pastor Yat MichaelReverend Yat Michael, a pastor from South Sudan was visiting Khartoum when he was taken into custody on Sunday 21 December. He had been preaching that morning, at the Khartoum North Church of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church. After the service, several men who identified themselves as Sudanese government security officers demanded that Reverend Yat come with them. They took him away without giving further explanation. The next day, the security forces went to Reverend Yat’s home and took some of his clothes and personal belongings. They informed his wife that he was being held in relation to an ongoing investigation but did not reveal any further details about the investigation, whether the reverend was under arrest and what the charges were.

Pastor Peter YenReverend Peter Yen, another South Sudanese pastor who was visiting Khartoum, was arrested on 11 January when he responded to summons to report to an office of the security services. It appears that his arrest and detention is linked to a letter he delivered to the Religious Affairs Office in Khartoum inquiring about Reverend Yat’s arrest. Pastor Yat’s wife and his family have been trying unsuccessfully to find out where he is being held. They have not had any access to him since his arrest. The family of Reverend Yen has also not seen or spoken to him since he was taken into custody.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

“The longer these two men are held in a secret location, the greater the risk of them being tortured. To date, absolutely no charge has been brought against these two church leaders. The authorities in Sudan must make reveal the location of these two men as soon as possible, and either charge them with a recognisable criminal offence or release them immediately.”

February 10, 2015 (SSB) — The Office of South Sudan Artist Association in Ethiopia (SSAAE) announced to the media that the concert, which was conducted Saturday, 07 February 2015 at Biah Hotel in Gambella Region successfully ended.

The Chairperson for ‘SSAAE’, Mr. Khor Deng Jang (aka ~ Khor DJ) briefed the press after the concert and praises the relationship between South Sudan and Ethiopia. He appreciated the Ethiopian communities in Gambella who help organized the concert and facilitated everything they want during the event.

“ I really appreciate the local communities and the government of Ethiopia particularly the Gambella Regional State for allowing us to organized the show.” Khor Deng Jang reiterated.

“The term ‘Tut-kernyang’ means grey-pink bull in Nuer language. This refers to a bull, which was given to Ethiopian elders who visited Ngundeng in Waat” according to Nuer elders who participated in concert.

“The concert attracted more than 5,000 people,” Killany Gatkek Tut one of the musician added.

Ngundeng Bong is a Nuer prophet who is believed to stay around 1830-1906 in Greater Akobo, Jonglie State of South Sudan.

Nuer believe to have special connection with Ethiopian than other South Sudanese, a claim by some elders.

Lul Tuach Dojiok (aka ~ LTD) the deputy chairperson of Association amazed by huge turnout. ” We didn’t expect to receive such a huge turnout,” a word he referred to more than 5000 people who attended the concert.

Oral facts indicated that ‘Ngundeng’ gave a bull to Ethiopian elders who came to visit him in his pyramid located in Nyirol County, Jonglie State.

The Association calls upon South Sudan warring factions to reach an amicable solution during the next round of talk which is due to take place on 20 February this month.

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The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing from.

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February 10, 2015 (SSB) — South Sudan as an independent state has several impending acts to be enforced. The law is not helpful when its rules are not guiding any public. The majority of citizens in South Sudan are still under the captive of illiteracy which inexorably gives enough room for lawmakers to be swift in enacting laws and not prerequisite to disseminate to the citizens in all angles which chiefly include ones under grassroots.

Purportedly, many of us fail to understand our roles, even the people in the authority don’t know they are given chance to serve the public. Authority means the duty to set rules and give guidance. The people in authority guide us, and the rule helps us to live with one other in harmony.

In reference to what I have realized and have physical evidences in my own community and in South Sudan as whole; children are not taken as valuable assets. A child is taken as a human being while ignoring their state of fragility and vulnerability. They are sometimes taken to be co-workers in reducing the burden of adult people’s mandatory house work. Children are given heavy household duties that may negatively affect their growth physically or mentally. They participate actively in some communities to sustain their daily bread. Children grow wild gradually till they became enemies to their own parents in some cases as a result of undignified treatment.

A child is a person under the universal age of 18 years. Children have their special considerations which is integral to their rights. However, they share the same attributes given by fundamental human rights.

In our own child act 2008 spells out the following children’s rights.

All children have a right to life

All children have a right to basic needs which include food, shelter, education and healthcare

All children are equal

All children have right to play

No child should be forced into child labour

Children should be protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation

Children have the right to information

priority should be given to refugee children, children with disabilities and those without families

All children have the right to participate in development of community and country

Children right against child labour

Children can start working only when they are 18 years or older

Children should not be allowed to do any work that poses a danger to their physical, mental or moral health.

Children may do light work, as long as it does not threaten their health and safety. the light work should not stop them from attending school

No child should be forced to work

All children should be protected against slavery and prostitution

I can say this is 21st century; it is a gift to both adults and children who are the hosting human being of this digital century. Technology is improving day and night in some parts of the universe but South Sudanese are still analogical. I feel ashamed of myself when I see a person coming from abroad especially those who come from United of America, Australia and other developed countries returning with the contradicting motive of investing in purchasing illiterate ladies with numerous cows which are given to primitive parents who will take cattle as a symbol of wealth. These parents never send their children to school as they presume to have everything. This is already a disadvantage impose on children by expensive marriages catalyst by dollars-holding-brothers from mentioned states instead of encouraging our people

Completely, we are all against the above rights as per my observation and will really make sense if we take courage and join the world in loving and caring for our children and they are our leaders of tomorrow and our future representatives.

The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing from.

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The signing of the SPLM Reunification Agreement between South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Dr. Riek Machar and Mr. Deng Alor Kuol which was overseen by Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete in Arusha, Tanzania.

February 10, 2015 (SSB) — Look, a reminiscence for a while; what happened in South Sudan, on 15.12.2013 was not a failed coup attempt, but succinctly an assassination attempt against Dr. Riek Machar Teny by his former colleague, President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Why that assassination against a colleague, and the would-have-been-innocent-aspirant of 2015 presidential election? Kiir is the right person to answer this question properly.

For my part, and in nature, this failed assassination attempt was intended to herald a paradigmatic susceptibility to life presidency. This was what exactly happened in the mentioned date and presently is the undoubted true version worldwide, realized correct in the end, opposed to Kiir’s fabricated failed coup attempt.

Another undeniable truth is that Kiir himself mass-massacred over 20,000 innocent Nuer civilians as a presuppossion to his kiiroproject implementation paving his way to institutionalization of life presidency in the Republic.

In the mind of simple president Salva Kiir, it was his conviction that he had to crackdown his political opponents and whosoever he deemed sympathizing with them. Thus came to act the assassination plan and mass-massacring of the civilians in Juba.

One has to ask a rational question, whether or not the aforementioned Kiir’s eventual institutionalization of his stay in power for life must have been the right kernel as of why he directed both assassination attempt and genocide against Machar and Nuer people respectively. Well, You should figure out more reasons on your own.

In all Kiir’s sinister actions, against the State, Machar and Nuer Nation, methinks that IGAD and US stand accused of having taken Kiir’s side in the war coming into being and its perpetuation.

It follows that president Kiir is a project of both IGAD and US. Let us prove this by conscientiously having a critical look into the succeeding part of the discourse.

To begin with, allow me to ask the following questions. Is IGAD neutral? To give a simple answer to this question, I answer no it is not, for it is dancing to the tune of Kiir’s government. How do we attest our thesis? We attest our thesis when we objectively know the fact that in war against Machar’s pro-democracy forces, IGAD always sides with Kiir’s government. When and How then? The good example is Uganda, which sent her troops and arrived in Juba on 13.12.2013, and were part and parcel of Kiir’s 15.12.2013 failed assassination attempt.

The coming of Ugandan troops to South Sudan territory in time and transportation of Kiir’s 15,000 Dutku Beny , his special army, proved it beyond any reasonable doubt that Kiir in fact premeditated the 15.12.2013 failed assassination attempt and the aforesaid genocide. This truth of fact shall drag Mayardit to ICC.

Have a look: proving this right further, Uganda is one of the member states composing the so-called IGAD claiming to mediate peace talks in Addis Ababa. And before peace began, Museveni of Uganda spoke on behalf of IGAD leaders (realized in the peace talks table all being favorable to Kiir) that in 4 day time he would either terribly defeat and kill Machar or coerce him to acquiesce cooptation under Kiir’s regime. Oh, one has to ask this question; does IGAD’s new proposal, on 1.2.2015 reflect part of Museveni’s paraphrased declaration? Yes, it does.

And that is why it must be held true that IGAD has been fighting South Sudan rebels alongside Kiir’s genocidal forces all of whom became co-operators and executers in carrying out genocide against Nuer people at the watch of Ban Ki Boon, the UN secretary general. Since he knows very well that IGAD is never neutral and yet watching us smiling still to let continue the IGAD-Kiir’s Kiiroproject of genocide on Nuer people. Is UN chief duties functional dependent on US likings? Ki Moon is the right person to give his rational and empirical answer to this query.

In a more clear way, IGAD currently has been siding with Kiir at Addis Ababa’s peace talks table. This cannot be refuted in anyway by any thinker unless a tabula rasa minded human person told to talk without reasoning out, so to say.

Let us shed more light on this claim. The irrefutable substantiation is when IGAD designed an agreement last year favorable to Kiir giving him more 3 years in Office to rule the very people he annihilated and again this year, on 1.2.2015, the very IGAD brought forth the same agreement in a typical-compelling proposal too favorable to Kiir, surrendering to him the same years in Office and reducing Dr. Machar to what we do not understand to date and which we will not accept for good, since it is a matter of life and death.

This is unquestionable support for Kiir’s stay in power for life ( IGAD’s leaders common good). Thanks to Dr. Machar for he did reject them all, for they have never been negotiated, hence unfair to South Sudanese.

This cements our thesis that IGAD is siding and working for the illegitimate president Kiir and as such has qualified herself not neutral.

Assuming that the given examples are sufficient e, we can sum up that IGAD has been sending troops in Ugandan military uniforms to South Sudan in order to fight the rebels alongside Kiir’s militias as well as sending mediation team to Addis Ababa to work very hard in favour of Kiir’s regime.

It implies that IGAD exerts a lot of energy, spends enormous times and lots of dollars, in protection of president Kiir’s stay in power for life. This is the crux or bottom line. Therefore; IGAD is a staunch ally to Salva Kiir in war against Machar, being political or military. It works to achieve dictatorship and life presidency in our Republic. Therefore; it must get changed.

America is never an exception in South Sudan ongoing genocide, so to speak. The truth of fact on this allegation is that Uganda and Egypt are historic and historical allies to US in Africa working in the dictate of US. These allies are practically fighting Machar’s prodemocracy forces in Kiir’s name to accomplish what I labeled as kiiroproject-the annihilation of other 63 ethnic groups in South Sudan except president Kiir’s Dinka tribe, being supported by US. This is undeniable fact, which is substantiated by John Kerry’s appalling statement, that US stands by Salva Kiir’s genocidal government for it was elected one, I reworded. The question is, is this government still a legitimate government to US even when it mass-massacred over 20,000 Nuer civilians? Why did US support, the ousting of then Ukraine president ( ..as wisely questioned by my leader Dr. Machar in one of his encounters with IGAD’s countries leaders) who only Killed 200 Ukrainian civilians? Is US still harboring the racist cynical attitude of characterizing black people as black things? Are Nuer of South Sudan less than human beings and do not deserve equal rights and equal dignity and treatment though enshrined in the international law? Do they deserve annihilation even if it is not allowed under humanitarian law in the 21st century? All those questions should be answered by Obama’s administration and the UN chief Ban Ki Moon even though UN is growing more and more weak and near to being characterized a toothless old dog.

In addition to the aforementioned arguments, US’s enslaving and genocidal policies caused them to concede to Kiir’s kiiroproject implementation and as a result made them not to condemn the ongoing genocide presently totaling to over 20,000 civilians. Rather US is properly seen busy supporting Uganda and Egypt to prolong fighting her proxy war against the democratic movement, (SPLM or SPLA) and to carry on victimizing the peaceful ethnic group, Nuer.

The same reason of allying Kiir’s regime made US too, to say nothing about the use of banned cluster bombs by Kiir & Museveni themselves, on the White Army and Nuer civilians, so to speak. These realities compel us dear readers, to draw a solid syllogism that America under Obama’s administration is the driving force behind kiiroproject actualization for its hidden agenda, seeing this genocide as necessary evil, politically speaking.

Having read the proceeding arguments, we must logically conclude that America is Kiir’s ally.

It also tracks that Kiir is a project of IGAD and America.

American admirers as me may wonder why this democratic model and IGAD are working in such a seemingly malicious way. Well, first and foremost of all, it has to be crystal clear that IGAD is a machine used by IGAD dictators to protect themselves, from any democrats’ potential overriding-success in democratic elections. And so, it is well known a club of dictators then. Kiir is a young dictator who deserves protection like the old dictators and like any other dictators in the region, by the club.

This posed a vexed question why should US be an ally to genocidal dictators? The answer is always in the depth of the following saying that even rooted in American pragmatism, written; ‘America always supports a dictatorial regime, which serves her interest than to support a democratic regime that does not serve her interest’.

For dictatorial examples; you have Uganda and Saudi Arabia and the counterexamples be your food for thought.

America’s interest is what seems to have been fulfilled in South Sudan crisis, leave alone her good allies namely Uganda and Egypt had got their lion portions.

It follows that IGAD, US plus their project, Salva Kiir are all liable for the genocide committed on Nuer peoples.

As I have anticipated early, supposing the so-called model of democracy, US had not directed Uganda and Egypt to partake in kiiroproject implementation; the status quo surely, would have not existed in our Republic. And if the rest of IGAD leaders, excluding Museveni and Kiir and US combined, had also urged Uganda in good faith, giving her a time limit to withdraw her troops from South Sudan, Uganda would have done so and the other foreign troops would have followed the same example, and the ongoing war would have stopped. But the opposite is true as I alluded to somewhere above.

This leads us to say that America’s proved proxy war in South Sudan, which caused her inaction in condemning the current genocide against Nuer people and use of the banned cluster bombs and also Suzan Rice’s unfair arguments to cooperate with genocidal Kiir’s government; all these qualified her (US) part and parcel of Kiir’s life presidency institutionalization in the making. Therefore; America has already chosen at will to be our problem. Albert not expected to do so.

This badly lands us to deduce that America’s stance in the crisis is a grave contradiction to American’s ideals, be them democracy, justice and respect for human rights. For, they cannot be and not be at the same time under the same aspect. This is illogical under the principle of none contradiction, metaphysically speaking.

That implies that America cannot both be democrat and dictator at the same time under the same respect. It is really funny to be such.

Granted that the UN too, is the world body, which is able to stop the crisis, had it opted to do so in order to remain just for all, particularly to South Sudanese and more fashionably to Nuer peoples, it would have prevented the continuation of the genocide, ongoing at its watch. Alas the UN has shown no interest for a long period of time.

To sum up our argumentation with persuasions, we have come to know that what Kiir called failed coup attempt was never true rather than in essence a failed assassination attempt. It is concretized as a truth of fact and reason, logically speaking.

We have proved IGAD plus US, collaborators in Kiir’s life presidency in the making. Not only that the triadic coconspirators, namely US, IGAD and their culprit-project-Kiir are all liable for the premeditated meta-genocide committed against our Nuer Nation. And UN is blameworthy on the same crisis for having chosen to remain a bystander allowing the protraction of human tragedy.

Then, there is no peace to come to our country as long as IGAD remains the mediator. It is almost impossible if not impossible to sign an American-IGAD-Kiir imposed deal cementing the killer Kiir president for life and allowing him to continue with Nuer cleansing.

Never should we accept this nonsensical and absurd deal of coopting us all under the same monster Kiir.

I refuse to believe the persuasion from IGAD and US that Kiir is an angelic mass-murderer as he got consecrated by his grace Paulino Lokudu Loru, the archbishop of the archdiocese of Juba and Deng Bol, the bizarre episcopal principal, both beatifying Kiir Mayardit, the best killer of Nuer people from God, erroneously thought by the two bishops. And that he will continue cleansing Nuer people slowly till Dinka remain alone in the Republic.

Look, “Better be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied, or better be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied”. ( J. S. Mill ).

In sincerity, we prefer to coexist peacefully than to miserably exist finishing Nuer people and eventually turning to other ethnic groups to cleanse and finish as the Kiir’s kiiroproject is concerned for the institutionalization of what Al Jah Paul called dinkocracy, Prof. David de Chand characterized kiirocracy and Prof. Taban Lo’long named benyocracy.

This discourse embodies and suggests the change of IGAD from remaining a mediation team in South Sudan peace talks.

It also exposed IGAD and US as the vital impetus behind Kiir’s actions in South Sudan crisis amounting to a meta-genocide of the Nuer people, and labeling UN a blameworthy reluctant giant of conflict moderation.

America has to remain the model of democracy and not contradicting herself, a dictator at the same time as long as we mean to search for true peace.

I remain humble and patriotic, inviting all your criticisms, queries, embellishments and even deductions.

Gatkuoth Lok, is an independent thinker and political analyst as well as one of the critical SPLM-IO members. He can be reached via lokgatwech@yahoo.com

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The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made are the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing from.